Logging system



Nov. 18, 1930. D. LAWSON LOGGING SYSTEM F l y 24, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 18, 1930. D. LAWSON 1,782,043

LOGGING \SYSTEM Filed July 24, 1936 Sheets-Sheet 3 V II! YEN T03 Br flauenpor/ [cu/son ,4; A TTURNEYS Nov. 18, 1930. D. LAWSON 1,782,043

LOGGING SYSTEM Filed July 24, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 mmv To): Pave/zoom Zea/Jar? Nov. 18, 1930. D. LAWSON 43 LOGGING SYSTEM Filed July 24, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEII TOR y Dover cor) {cu/.50

- ITTOIHIEYS Patented Nov; 18, p 1930 f UNITED [stares mevnnfoar LAWson, oF ELK,

on ELK, oamroania, A CQRPQEATI O;EI 0F Marnie j 1 LOGGING SYSTEM 1 Applicationfiled July 24,

This invention relates generally to systems or apparatus for conveying articles and has specific application'in logging operations,

In the lumber industry it is customary 5 practice touse some form ofdevice for conveyingthe logs from the timber area to a point wheretliey may either be cut into timber orloaded on;cars for transportation. It

is preferablethat this be done with some form of apparatus whichfwill lift the logs ,clear of the ground, since logs which; arev dragged are aptto be injuredby splintering, or may gather rocks and'gravel, thus making' them difficult to run thru themill. One

sued October 25, 1921. This apparatus employs a system of cables supporting a trav-.

ersing hoist carriage. The cables may be anchored to convenient spar trees and the movement of the carriage controlled from a remote yarder, or. donkey. This apparatus however is limited in its application since only a comparatively small area may be covmaybe shifted. This obviously-results in considerable waste of time and effort.

It is an object of this invention to devise a logging system in which a; comparatively the apparatus.

' .It is a further object of this invention to devise a logging system in which the hoisting. carriage for driving andlifting the logs is movable in two directions to cover a relatively large area.

It is a further Ob ect of this invention to devise an improved system' for logging in which a hoist carriage is controlled byanarrangement of cables from a yarder in such a manner that it may be moved to any point above a large area. 7

It is a further object of this invention to improve generally the construction of yard- 7 ers suitable for use with the above system.- .It

is-proposed to provide means for readily fixing the position of the yarder with respect to a railroad track. 7

It is another object of this invention to deform of apparatus for accomplishin'g'this result is shown in my Patent No. 1,394,745, is-

erecl' after which operations must be suspended until the anchoring for the cables large area may be covered before shifting; of

was. Serial at. 124,570.

vise a special form of lead carriage for use with the above system. 7

Further objects of this invention will appear from the following description inwhich I have set" forth the preferredembodiment although only one modification has been de- I scribed andiillustrated, the invention is 03133.

'5 of my'invention. It isto be understood that ble of assuming avariety of forms within the scope of-the appended claims.

Referring to thedrawings:

Figure 1 is aperspective view showing the system n operat1onin at canyon or valley 7 I from which timber is being removed. v 7 Fig. 2 isa plan viewfshowing diagram-V, matically the systemjof this invention.

Fig. 3 is a side elevationof the yarder for controlling the cables. V s 1 Fig. .4 is a detail'showing the manner in ,whiclithe track rails' arei cut away for per-, mitting the yarder frame to bej'supported directlybythe track ties.

Fig; 5 isan end'view and truck showing the ed by the truck. I

of the yarder frame framebeingsuP ortthe yarder frame being supported directly by the track ties. r i

Fig.7 is a plan view showingthe construction of the lead carriage.

the construction of the'lead carriage.

Fig. 9 is a plan view showingthe construction of the tail carriage. 1 Fig. 10 illustrates the use of the improvedspar tree.

The system comprises generally: an arrangement of cables which maybe readily installed and put lnto OPGHLUOH'OVQT an area cables include tracking cables whichextend upon opposite sides of the area, and a hoist line which spans the'area andengages respectivelyv at its. ends lead and tail ,carriages which are adapted to traverse the tracking cables. By moving the lead and tail carriages upon the tracking cable's'the hoist line may be moved above any point of the timber area toenable the. hoist carriage'to lift logs i Fig.- 6 is a vlewsinnlar to-Figgashowing r 30 Fig.8 s a s de-elevational vlew show ng anchoring'plat'e for anchoring ablock to a p I from which thetimber has been'cut. These and deposit the same upon a railroad car or other means of transportation.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing, the system comprises generally an arrangement of cables designated generally at 10 and 11 which'are normally positioned upon opposite sides of the area from which itis desired to remove logs,the cables being controlled by a plurality of winding drums located on the yarder 12. Certain of the cables 10 and 11 serve as a track for the traversing carriages 13 and 14 between which extends the hoist line 16. A hoist carriage 17 is supported by the hoist line 16 and is provided with asling 18 or other suitable means for engaging logs 19. By selectively controlling operation of the winding drums of theyarder 12 the hoist carriage 17 may be move'dback and forth up'on the hoist line 16 or. the carriages 20:

13and 14 may be moved to shift'th'e hoist line16laterally so that the hois-t'car'riage may be moved to any point above the area: The

logs may be loaded upon cars 20 which may I be run upon the track 2l,a shortspur track 22 being constructed for positioning of th yarder. a, v

Referring now to Fig.2 for a more detailed description *of the system, the cables have been shown; as anchored to themain spar trees 26 and 27' located'upon the lead "side of the area, and spar trees 28 and 29 located upon the tailside; For tracking the lead carriage 13 there is provided a pair of cables 'may-be tracked upon 'cables 34 and 35 entrained about block 37 secured to spar tree 29 and extended through shoes 36 secured to spar tree 29, the endsbeing anchored to stumps 36*. For eflecting movement of the lead carriage 13 in either direction upon the tracking 1 cables, there is provided "what may be termed moving lines orcables 39 and 40,

controlled by the winding drums 41 and 42 respectively of the 'yarder. A convenient arrangement for the moving line 39 is to anchor one end to a spar tree 43 or other suitable means adjacent the main spar tree 26 and to entrain the same about the block 44 secured to the carriage 13 and the block 45 anchored'to the tree 26. The end of the line.

40 may be anchored to a tree 46 located adjacent the tree 27 and may be entrained about a block 47 secured to the carriage 13, a stationary block 48 anchored to the tree 27, and the block49 anchored to the tree 26. The line 40 n1'ay similarly be anchored at itsend to the tree 27 "and may be entrained over the moving block 47 secured to the carriage 13,

and about the stationary blocks 48 and 49secured respectively to the trees 27 and 26. Similarly the tail carriage 14 may be controlled by means of moving lines 51 and 52 which are controlled from the winding drums 53 and 54'respectively. The line 51 may be anchored at itsend to tree 55 and entrained over block 56 secured to the carriage 14, and bloclr57 anchored to the tree 28 to drum 53 of the, yarder. The line 52 is likewise anchored at its end to tree 58 and is entrained over, a moving pulley 59 secured to the car-c riage 14 and over stationary blocks 60 and 61 anchored to the trees 29 and 28 respectively, 7

then to drum 54. It is obviousfrom the above that by winding the drum 41 and unwinding the drum 42 the lead carriage 13 may be moved from right to left, while by winding the drum 42 and unwinding the drum 41 the carriage is moved from left to right. Similarly winding up of the drum 53 and unwind-- ing of drum 54 will cause the tail carriage '14 to -move from right to left while conversely winding of the'drum 54 and unwind,- ing of drum 53 will cause the tail carriage to move from left to right. 4 J p a The hoist line'60 is strung between the lead-and tail carriages 13 and 14, and preferably has both of its ends entrained about the winding drums 61 and 62. For example, the hoist line is entrained abouta single block? 63 secured to'the carriage 14 and about a pair of lead blocks 64 secured to the lead carriage 13 (see Figure] 8'). Theblock 65 may also be provided for guiding the'hoist line to a 'point adjacent-the spar tree 26. The hoist-E carriage 17 is provided with. a plurality of sheaves 66 to permlt freemovement along the hoist line 60; In order to move the hoist carriage back and forth along the hoist line 'there'is provided a main haul'line orcable '67 fcontrolledby the winding drum68, and

a haul back line 69 controlled by the winding drum 70-. The main haul line 67 is secured to the hoist carriage17 and is entrained about block 71 secured to' carriage 13, and about;

' block 72 which maybe anchored to thespar tree 26. Likewise haul back line 69 is'se'cured to the carriage 17 and is entrained about block 73 secured to the tail carriage 14 and block 74 which may be anchored to the spar tree 28.

- 1 It is obvious that upon winding up of the drum 68 the'carriage 17 will be moved toward the lead carriage 13 while upon winding up ofthedrum70 and unwinding ofdrum 68 the hoist carriage will move toward the tail carriage 14; Thus the operator of the yarder 12 by proper manipulation of the winding drums may move eitheror both of the carriages 13 and 14 in either direction, may

move the hoist carriage 17 back and forth 1;

between the lead and tail carriages 13 and 14, i may lift theh'oist carriage 17 by manipulation of the drums 61 and 62, or may perform any of these operations simultaneously. In

practice the operator of the yarder operates the winding drums in accordance with telephone signals '-from a second "operator 'stationed near the cars beingloaded so that the hoist carriage may be causedto lift a log from any point withinthe area and deposit =it-upon acar. r r

In Figs. 3 to 6 inclusivethere is; shown a novel form of yarder which is particularly adapted for use'with the system described above. The "engine'76, winding drums and other working partsiof the yarder are mountedrupon a suitable frame 77. whichris nor- :inally supported by "a 'plurality 'of wheeled trucks 7 8. The frame 77 is preferably (providedwith depending side members 79 which.

extend downwithina shortdistance from the railroad ties. 80 of the railroadtrac k upon whichlthedevice is adapted to travel. The: -kll'lggplll connection 81 between the, trunks andthe frame isconstructed so as to permit a certain amount of relative vertical movement between .the trucks and the frame whereby thetrucksqmay be dropped from the frame to permitthe frame to rest upon the ties 80.'-, A convenient way to drop the trucksis illustrated in Fig. 4 in which the the wheels have each been positioned'adja-v 1' cent a cut away portion. A-slightmovement of the trucks thenservesto run the wheels down into the cutaway portions,"thuspermitting the trucks-to drop away from the frame and theframe to restdirectly upon the ties 80. Normally. the only-portion of the track whichis provided with cut away portions is theshort spur 22 upon which the yarder is normally side tracked. If desired shims or blocks 86 may be placed under the depending portions 7 9 before dropping the 'wheelslinto the cut away portions in order to insure a 1 level foundation: for the frame 77. When'it. is desired'to moveftheyarder to another fpoint'it is only. necessary toyconnect a locomotive to the frame and ,pull the same in one directionfluntil" thewheels of .the truck ride upon the tops of the rails after which the blocks are reinserted.

The particular yarder shown has been constructed froma standard four drum donkey which is provided with a forward extension for accommodating the extra drums required Thus the frame 77 is constructed in two 79 are each constructed 'of two lengths 87 and 88 which are joined upon a rearwardly inclined bias'a s indicated at 89. This bias junction tends to prevent buckling of the combined frame by tension on the cables.

A novelform of lead carriage for use with To prevent'undu'efriction betweenthe cables opposite from the ,side'siengaged by sheaves the-system of thisinvention"isshownin Figs.

317 and 8, the carriage including a frameconn prising a pair of-spacedgplates 91 between which-ware ournaled sheaves 9'3 and 94 for engagingsthe tracking cables: 30. and. 31.

and the side plates 91"additional rollers- 95 and 96 may be mounted upon theside plates upper and lower sides of thetracking cables. To maintain-the tracking cables in engageadjacent the? sheaves 93 and 94 to engage the i ment withthe sheaves 93 and 94a plurality .of-;small mini 97 a and 98 are journaled-{beitweenthesideplates-91 and positionedso as to engage the sides. of the 1' tracking cables 98 and94. The two blocks 64 are preferably secured to the endsiofza cross beam 99 so that they may be positioned one i above the other. ("These blocks are ofl conventional I construction, each comprising merely a frame 4 100 within which is j ournaled 'the sheave 101'. lBet'weenthe beam 99 and the carriage frame there is 'a-"plate102, preferably of triangular construction which is pivotallyconnected to the adjacent end of the carriage-frame and to the central portion of j thebeam* 99. asby means of clevis connections -103-ai1d 104.

the blocks 64, a stabilizer bar105 isfi xed to the member: 102 and has its endsconnected to the" crossbeam 99- 'as' by-rn'e'ans-oflinks 106.

shift-the: effectivefpivot al axis ofwthe cross Inorder tostabili'ze movement ofthe cross beam 99 when unequal loads'are placed upon beam 99 withrrespecttoithevcarrier frame when unequalcable strains-are placed upon the blocks 64. Thus if a 'heavy pullis placed upon one of the blocks 64 whilea'light pull is placed upon the other, lther'b'eam-99 will not'take a position parallelto the side plates '91 butwill assume an intermediate angular position sinceangular movement of 'the stazcentral'porti'on. of the cross beam 99, and a bilizer bar 105 tends to decrease the distance 1 between the beam 99 andthe carriage frame,

thereby tending'to tension the hoist line 60. a

The block-71 for -the main'haul line'67 has cable 108." The blocks 44and 47 for'the movstances it is desirable to shift thepoint of connection for the blocks 44and 47 in order ing lines 39 and 40 are shown-as connected to distribute'the pulluponthe carriage frame i c in such a-manner that the frame willmainparts and as shown in Fig. 3 the s de beams tain a position with the side plates 91 practically horizontal with resp ect'to the grounds Thus the plate .102 has been provided with other apertures 111 "to which the clevis connections 109and 110 may be shifted. Corre- H which the clevis connections'inay-be made as a desired. To aid in operatively positioning the lead carriage and in order to prevent the moving line 40 from becoming entangled with the other cables, the outer end; of the carriage frame may be connected to a block 114 for engagement with the cable 40. block not only serves to position cable 40 but This takes some of the strainfrom cables 30 and 31 andshould cables 30 and 31 break, cable 10 would. hold until repairs were made.

The specific form of tail carriage which I preferto employ is shown in detail in Fig. 9., In this figure the parts identical with the lead carriage: have been indicated diagrammatic'ally; 1 The; tail carriage. is'similar to the lead-carriage with the exception that the cross beam and stabilizer bar have been eliminated. zThus, secured to the carriage frame there isatail triangle 116.?to whichis secured the blocks 59 and 56 for the moving lines 52 and 51, and the tailblock 63 for'the hoist line 760. The block 73 for the haul back linens may be secured to thetriangle 116 as by means of a cable 117 and aclevis con nection 118. Apertures 119 are provided in the triangle for "shifting the position of the clevis connection 118.

'A novel arrangement whichmay be employed for anchoring the cable blocks is shown in Fig. 10. For example, a representative cable block 120 isshown as connected to an anchoringplate 121, A cable 122 con- .nected'to this plate and to a stump or a tree 123 serves to carrythe maj ority of the tension placed upon theblock 120 while a cable consecured to said frame, amember forming alink in thepivotal connection between the beam and frame, a' cross bar fixedpto said member, connections between the cross bar and the beam at points spaced on either side of the pivotal connection of the beam, and sheaves carried by' the ends of the beam.

3. A lead blockcomprisinga frame, a beam secured to one end of the frame, sheaves carried by the ends of the beam, a member inserted between and pivotally secured at its ends to the beam and frame, a cross bar fixed -to said member, and connectlons between the cross bar and beam. 7 i 4:. A lead carriage comprising aframe havmg at least one trackmg sheave, a beam pivotally secured to saidrframe atj'only one point thereof, sheaves carried'by said beam, and means for stabilizing pivotal movement .of thebeam. .-v v a V "5. In arlogging system, a yarder having aplurality of winding drums, hori zontally spaced tracking cables, a pair of' traversing carriages .movably' engaging the tracking cables,'a hoist cableengaging said carriages andspanmng a g1ven'area,-a hoist carriage associated with said hoist cable, means for raising and lowering said hoist carriage,

means for shfting said hoist'carriage horizontally, haul cables for effecting movement ofsaid traversing carriages, each of said haul cables extending from a winding drum on saidiyarder, about a sheave on an anchored block, then engaging a sheave on one of said carriages, about a sheave'on a second anchored block, back to a secondsheave on the carriage and thence to, a point remote from the carriage.

a plurality of winding drums, horizontally spaced tracking cables, a' pa1r of traversing carriages movably engaging the tracking 'cablesrhaul cables for effecting movement of said carriages along said=tracking cables, each of said haul cables extendingfrom'a winding drum on said yarder, about a sheave on an anchored block, then engaging a sheave on one of said carriages, about asheave on a second anchored block, back to a second sheave on the carriage and thence to 'a point remote from the carriage. I V

7. In a logging system, a yarder having a plurality of windingdrums, horizontally spaced trackingcables, a pair of traversing carriages engaging the tracking cables, haul cables for effecting movement ofsaid traversing carriages, one of said carriages being a lead carriage comprising a frame having a tracking sheave, a beam pivotally secured to said frame, sheaves carried by said beam and means for stabilizing the movement of saidbeam, a hoist carriage, and a-hoist cable forcontrolling said hoist carriage engaging the sheaves in said beamg "In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand;

I DAVENPORT LAl/VSON.

6.- Ina logging system, a yarder having 

